| Charles Williams | |
| Fullname: | Charles Eugene Williams |
| Country: | England |
| Birth Date: | 28 July 1888 |
| Birth Place: | East Fulham, London |
| Death Place: | Chicago, United States |
Charles Williams (1888-1935) was English rackets world champion.
Williams became a professional rackets player and the school coach at a young age, playing from the Harrow Club at Harrow School.[1] In January 1911 he competed in and won the Open Championship of England defeating Edgar Maximilian Baerlein.[2] Just over three months later he was the challenger for the World Championship against the holder Jamsetji Merwanji from India. Williams won the first leg at the Queen's Club[3] and then in the second leg played out a draw at the Prince's Club after he had already secured the one game he needed to claim the title outright. He had become the world champion aged just 22.[4]
He lost the Championship to Jock Soutar from the United States in 1913 before failing to regain the title in a rematch in 1922. He finally regained the Championship after beating Soutar in 1929.
Born in East Fulham in 1888, he was a ball boy at the Prince's Club before turning professional. During the journey to defend his title in 1912 he boarded the as a second class passenger. After it sank he was rescued by the and developed pneumonia.[5] [6] He resided in the United States from 1924 and was married and had six children.
He died in 1935 while living in Chicago aged 47.[6]